4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Sonoma County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Sonoma County Code Chapter 26 (Zoning Regulations) is the controlling code for animal keeping. Farm animals are broadly permitted in the LIA, LEA, DA, RRD, AR, and RR districts subject to parcel-size limits, while the R1 single-family residential zone allows up to six hens housed in a rear-yard coop and no roosters or larger livestock.
Sonoma County Code Chapter 5, Section 5-115 prohibits dogs from running at large on public streets, public places, or private property of others. Dogs in public must be restrained by a substantial leash. Section 20-8 requires a maximum 6-foot leash and immediate control in all Sonoma County Regional Parks.
Sonoma County has no breed-specific legislation. California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 prohibits any local ordinance from declaring a specific breed potentially dangerous or vicious. Sonoma County instead regulates individual dogs on a behavior basis under Chapter 5, Articles regulating potentially dangerous and vicious dogs.
California Food & Agricultural Code § 31683
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a city or county from adopting or enforcing its own program for the control of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs that may incorporate all, part, or none of this chapter, or that may punish a violation of this chapter as a misdemeanor or may impose a more restrictive program to control potentially dangerous or vicious dogs. Except as prov...
Beekeeping is broadly permitted across Sonoma County's agricultural and rural-residential zones with no county-specific hive caps. All apiaries must be registered with the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner through California's BeeWhere program under California Food & Agricultural Code §§29040–29043.
2 cities in Sonoma County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Sonoma County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Sonoma County Ordinance Hub →